Diabetes – What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people every year. It happens when the body does not produce enough insulin or cannot use the insulin that it produces effectively.
The good news is that it is curable and avoided or delayed with diet, exercise and medications. It is also essential to understand the symptoms so you can determine whether you are suffering from a condition and seek treatment.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is an ongoing (long-lasting) disease that affects how your body turns food into energy. It happens when your pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t utilize it as efficiently as it should.
Insulin is the hormone that helps your body absorb and utilize glucose, also known as sugar. People with type 2 diabetes do not produce enough insulin, or their bodies can’t use it properly.
The blood sugar levels increase over time in both kinds of diabetes. This can lead to problems in the kidneys, eyes and feet. It may also cause damage to the blood vessels in your heart as well as the brain.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is caused by an autoimmune reaction, which means that your immune system attacks insulin-producing pancreatic cells and destroys them. This destruction can occur over months or even years before resulting in an absence of insulin.
People with type 1 diabetes require insulin every day. They must also monitor their blood glucose levels and adjust insulin, food and activity levels to keep their blood glucose within the healthy range.
Type 2 diabetes
If you suffer from type 2 diabetes, your body is not using insulin as it should. Insulin is a hormone that aids your cells in moving glucose (blood sugar) from your blood into your cells which is then used as energy.
Type 2 diabetics need to exercise and eat a healthy diet. They may also have to take medications to manage their blood sugar levels.
Signs of diabetes in women
Diabetes is a chronic illness that affects people of all races and ethnic groups age, genders, and ages. However, women are at a greater risk than men.
Women with diabetes are at a greater risk chance of developing complications compared to men, such as heart disease (the most frequent complication of diabetes) and loss of vision.
One of the early signs of women suffering from diabetes is a rise in thirst and the frequency of urination, which is known as polydipsia. This is due to diabetes causing excess sugar to build up in your blood and your kidneys aren’t equipped to filter it out in a proper manner.
Men who suffer from diabetes show signs
Diabetes is a condition where cells are unable use glucose (blood sugar) as energy source. This usually happens because the pancreas stops producing enough insulin.
This causes elevated blood sugar levels. The body tries to reduce these levels by flushing excess glucose out of your bloodstream via urine.
Diabetes patients are often thirsty, and they have to drink a lot of fluids.
The men may also shed weight as their bodies utilize muscles for energy instead of fat. This is due to the fact that their blood sugar levels stay high for extended periods of time.
Diabetes diet
Developing a healthy diabetes diet is a crucial aspect of managing your diabetes. It can help regulate blood sugar levels, manage weight and reduce the risk factors for heart diseases.
Your diet should include plenty of whole food items, including fruits whole grains, vegetables beans, low-fat dairy and legumes. It should be low in saturated fats and sugars as well as added sugars (unhealthy).
You may also want to limit the amount of sugar-sweetened beverages you consume. These drinks often have high levels of sugar in them which can result in elevated blood sugar levels.
Diabetes medication
Your doctor may suggest diabetes medications to help keep your blood glucose (blood sugar) levels within normal levels. These drugs are often paired with lifestyle changes, such as diet and physical activity, to help manage diabetes.
If your blood sugar levels are not being managed well with one medicine, you may need to add a second medication. Your doctor will help you determine the most appropriate medicine to suit your preferences and needs.
Newer medications like glucagon-like receptor agonists for peptide-1 as well as sodium-glucose inhibitors that lower blood sugar levels, have kidney and cardiovascular benefits, and lower the risk of complications. They are also useful for weight loss, and they come in both tablet and injection forms.